NEWS
Why US Bombed Sokoto First Despite Deadlier Attacks Elsewhere
Fresh details have emerged explaining why the United States carried out airstrikes in Sokoto State despite other regions of Nigeria recording higher levels of terrorist violence.
According to Emmanuel Ogebe, an international human rights lawyer and bilateral affairs expert, the decision to strike Sokoto first was driven more by strategic familiarity and operational considerations than by casualty figures or the intensity of attacks in other parts of the country.
Ogebe described Sokoto as an “unusual choice,” noting that Nigeria’s North-East, particularly Borno State, remains the epicentre of jihadist activity and recently witnessed a deadly suicide bombing.
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He also pointed to the North-Central region, especially Benue State, where repeated armed herdsmen attacks have resulted in widespread civilian deaths and displacement.
Speaking to News Express, Ogebe explained that Sokoto’s selection is closely linked to prior U.S. military experience in the area. He recalled the 2020 rescue of American citizen Philip Walton during former U.S. President Donald Trump’s first term, when U.S. special forces successfully carried out an operation in Sokoto, killing six terrorists.
“The North-West appears to be a safer operational bet for the U.S., given prior boots-on-ground experience and institutional memory from earlier missions,” Ogebe said.
He added that Sokoto’s proximity to Niger Republic likely played a key role in the decision. Until recently, the U.S. maintained military bases in Niger, giving American forces deeper familiarity with the terrain, intelligence networks and cross-border militant movements in the region.
The Nigerian government has confirmed that the airstrikes were conducted jointly with the United States and other international partners.
Ogebe described this claim as credible, referencing lessons from the 2020 Walton rescue mission, which nearly failed due to the absence of confirmed Nigerian airspace clearance.
According to accounts in former U.S. Defence Secretary Mark Esper’s memoir, American aircraft carrying Navy SEALs were already airborne when it was discovered that Nigeria’s approval had not been formally secured, creating the risk of interception.
Clearance was reportedly granted at the last minute, allowing the mission to proceed.
“This history makes it highly unlikely that the U.S. would carry out strikes on Nigerian territory today without full coordination with Nigerian authorities,” Ogebe said.
He also linked Washington’s evolving strategy to the loss of U.S. military bases in Niger following a pro-Russia military coup, noting that the development has forced the U.S. to adjust its surveillance and strike operations across the Sahel region.
However, Ogebe questioned the broader impact of the Sokoto strikes, arguing that the state is not responsible for the bulk of mass civilian killings in Nigeria.
He highlighted the situation in Benue State, where figures suggest that more than 600,000 Christians have been displaced, a number he said rivals displacement across several North-Western states combined.
Ogebe further suggested that the strikes could be connected to concerns over the abduction of American missionary pilot Dan Rideout in neighbouring Niger Republic, amid fears that he could be transferred to terrorist groups operating along the Nigeria-Niger border, similar to the Walton case.
“From a strategic standpoint, Sokoto does not explain itself unless there is a specific American interest being protected,” he said.
Ogebe, who is based in Washington, D.C., is an award-winning international human rights lawyer known for influencing U.S. congressional and foreign policy on Nigeria.
His advocacy contributed to the U.S. designation of Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organisation in 2013 and Nigeria’s classification as a Country of Particular Concern in 2020.
Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has flagged off the disbursement of ₦689.79 million in bursary payments to 19,318 continuing students across 97 institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The disbursement follows a 100 per cent increase in academic bursary rates, marking the first adjustment since 2007.
The latest payment forms part of the state government’s broader investment in education and student welfare, with cumulative bursary disbursements and related student awards under the administration reaching ₦3.29 billion.
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More than 174,000 beneficiary payments have been recorded across successive payment cycles.
Increased Allowances for Veterinary and Law Students
Under the revised scholarship support framework, allowances for Veterinary Medicine students have increased by 150 per cent for students in the 300 and 400 levels and by 200 per cent for those in the 500 and 600 levels.
Support for Nigerian Law School students and academic excellence awards has also continued.
The state government has also approved a scholarship programme for 1,700 students, with 50 beneficiaries drawn from each of the state’s 34 local government areas.
The programme is designed to support tuition fees, registration and other educational expenses.
₦6bn Scholarship Trust Fund
The government has made provision for ₦6 billion in seed funding for a scholarship trust fund intended to strengthen educational financing.
The fund is expected to support specialised scholarship opportunities in fields including engineering, medicine, Artificial Intelligence and mechatronics.
The state’s foreign scholarship initiatives have also supported 118 students studying Medicine, Artificial Intelligence and Bioengineering in Egypt, Ethiopia and China, with approved educational and living expenses covered by the government.
More Scholarship Opportunities
Other educational support initiatives include 34 maritime scholarship beneficiaries and seven students receiving 50 per cent financial support at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria.
The state has also nominated 34 candidates for MBBS studies in Russia, identified 70 prospective master’s degree candidates and selected 10 candidates for Qur’anic Sciences scholarships in Ghana.
These initiatives form part of the state’s broader efforts to expand access to education across different fields and levels of study.
Scholarship Board Strengthens Accountability
The Katsina State Scholarship Board has also strengthened its application, verification and payment systems.
As part of its accountability measures, the board interviewed more than 14,925 fresh applicants and returned approximately ₦86 million in unclaimed funds to the state government.
The state also acknowledged the contributions of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in expanding access to educational financing and digital learning resources.
Radda Inaugurates Tinubu/Dikko Education Beneficiary Network
As part of the activities, Radda inaugurated the Tinubu/Dikko Education Beneficiary Network (TDEBNET), a voluntary organisation comprising parents and beneficiaries of educational programmes.
Members of the organisation expressed support for the re-election bids of Radda and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
Federal agents raided the Washington, D.C., home of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar early Monday morning as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed.
Homeland Security Investigations agents arrived at the Minnesota congresswoman’s residence at about 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, according to a report by Fox News.
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The report said both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the DOJ are involved in the investigation.
A DOJ spokesperson confirmed the operation, stating: “Today in the Washington, D.C. area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice.”
The spokesperson added: “This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.”
Details later……….
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, arguing that improvements in economic growth and government revenue have not translated into better living conditions for Nigerians.
Obi made the remarks in a statement posted on his X account on Monday, October 12, while reacting to the World Bank’s latest report on Nigeria’s economic performance and government spending priorities.
He argued that improvements in some macroeconomic indicators should not be interpreted as evidence that the standard of living of Nigerians is improving.
According to him, the real measures of economic development are poverty reduction, job creation and efforts to address inequality.
“Nigerians and even the World Bank know that the criteria for economic development is whether poverty is declining, whether jobs are created for our youths, and whether we are reducing acute inequality,” Obi stated.
He maintained that economic stability under the Tinubu administration had not resulted in higher living standards, improved employment opportunities or reduced poverty and inequality across the country.
Obi argued that an economy cannot be considered stable merely because government revenue increases, foreign reserves strengthen or gross domestic product grows.
“Stability exists when citizens can afford food, obtain healthcare, provide education for their children, and live with dignity,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor questioned the benefits of increased government revenue to Nigerians struggling to meet their basic needs.
“What comfort does higher revenue offer a mother who cannot provide her children with a nutritious meal? What does higher government revenue mean to a family forced to choose between purchasing food and paying for medicine?” he asked.
He also questioned the impact of the administration’s economic reforms on ordinary Nigerians, arguing that citizens continued to bear the costs and hardship associated with government policies.
Obi further cited a recent United Nations Development Programme report, which he said listed Nigeria among countries where gains made in reducing poverty had been reversed.
He also claimed that about 140 million Nigerians were classified as multidimensionally poor.
The former presidential candidate accused the Tinubu administration of presenting incomplete economic statistics to project progress without adequately addressing the welfare of citizens.
“President Bola Tinubu and his incompetent team must recognize that intentionally presenting and projecting incomplete economic statistics cannot replace the critical measure of how reform impacts on the welfare of the people,” he said.
Obi added that Nigerians should not be expected to celebrate economic statistics while struggling to survive the effects of government policies.
“A government cannot expect citizens to applaud statistics while they struggle to survive the effects of its policies,” he stated.
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